Christmas-tree holder



April 6 1925, A ,579,275

C. D. ZEIGLER CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER Filed July 22, 1925 patented pr. 6, 1926., l

ip'it Fil *t1 im i E .e l .r

CHARLES D. ZEIGLER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

CHRISTMAS-TREE HOLDER.

Application led July 22, 1925. Serial No. 45,238.

a highly improved Christmas tree holder which7 in its preferred form, is provided with a water pot arranged to receive the butt end of a tree to supply moisture thereto and thereby keep the tree green and prevent premature shedding of the'needles.

'llo the above end, the invention consists of thenovel devices and con'ibinations of devices hereinafter described the claims.

which il` vlu'strate the invention,- like characters indicatelike parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a plan view o'tA the invention and illustrating in section the butt end ot a Christmas tree held therein;

Fig. 2 vis a view partly in elevation and partly in central vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section taken on the line 3-8 of Fig. 2; and

F ig. si is a fragmentary detail view with some parts sectioned on the line d--ll ot Fig l, on an enlarged scale.

The numeral 5 indicates an annular hori Zontal body member comprising three ments, the ends of which are bent radially outward and cireumterentially spaced to atford three pairs ot hinge lugs G. Diverging supporting legs 7 have their upper ends inserted between the lugs 6 of each pair and pivoted thereto for radial swinging movement. The lower ends of the supporting legs 7 are curved outwardly and upwardly to afford feet 8 that rest or slide on a floor without scratching or marring the same.

Formed with the upper ends of the supporting legs 7 are converging tree-gripping prongs 9, the inner or upper ends of which are bent upward to afford relatively7 wide gripping fingers 10 that are circumferentially spaced around the projected axis of the body member o parallel thereto'. These gripping ingers 10 are preterably formed7 as shown in F ig. 1,

on the are of a circle so as to contact with` the body of a Christmas tree Z throughout their entire width.

A' horizontal disc-like supporting head 11 is located materially below the body member 5, axially aligned therewith and connected by links 12 to the supporting legs 7. Each link 12 comprises a pair of fiat bars, the intermediate portions of which' bear the one upon the other and are rigidly connected by rivets. rllhe inner ends of the members of the links-12l are spread to receive radial lugs 13 on the supporting body 11 and pivotally connected thereto. Likewise the outer end portions of the members of the links 12 are spread to receive the supporting legs 7 and pivoted thereto. rlllieselinks 12 connect the supporting head 11 to the supporting legs 7 for raising or lowering movements.

To limit the downward movement Vof the supporting head 11, the saine is provided with a depending cylindrical stop 14 of wood or any other suitable material that will not scratch or mar a floor. This stop 14 is secured to thesupporting head 11 by a metal core 15 that lextends axially into said stop in the top thereof with its upper end terminating at the top of said stop and engaging the bottom ot the supporting head 11 as a stop. Formed on the upper end ot the core 15 is a serewethreaded stem 16 of a reduced diameter that extends through an axial bore in the supporting head 11 and has a nut 17 applied thereto which securely draws the upper end et the core 15 into engagement with thel under side of the supporting head 11 and thereby rigidly secures the stop 14 to said supporting head. The upper end of the .stem 16 extends above the nut 17 and is ot' conical formation to attord a tree-centering barb 1S on which the lower end ot the Christmas tree Z rests. The length of this stop 14 is such as to come iu contact with the iioor just be'tore the links 1Q are moved into true horizontal position to prevent the same from moving beyond a. dead center and thereby diaw the supporting legs .12 inward and open up the treegripping prongs 9.

Mounted on the supporting head 11 is a water pot 19 preferably formed from aluminum and having a dished bottom. This water pot 19 is rigidly secured to the supand Vextend substantially porting head 11 in axial alignmentl with the body member 5 by the stem 1G, which extends through an aperture in the bottom ot said water pot, and the nut 1T. gaskety 2O is interposed between the nut 1T and bottom of the water potv 19 to prevent leakage ol? the water Y from said water pot. The diameter ot the water pot 19 is such as to freelyv move axiallyv within the bodyv member 5 during the raising or lowering movements of said water pot- B v moving the supporting bodyY 11 upward, the connecting links 12 will told the leg/i eiremnterentiallv around the water pot 19 so that the Christmas tree holder can be stored or packed, in a romparativel)v small space.

To mount, a Christmas tree in the holder, the supporting head 11 is moved axiallj toward the bod)v member 5 to spread the gripping lingers 10. The butt endet the tree Z is then inserted between said tingers until brought into engagementA with the barb 18. The tree Z isthen pres, d downward between the gripping ingers 10 and whivh movement bv, the enga-gementoit said tree with the barb 1S moves the supporting head downward and' spreaV 4 v ly the links 12` and causes the gripping fingers 1) to tighthv engage eireumterentiallv around the Christmas tree Z before the stop let engages the iioor. Thewater pot 19 is ther iilled with water.

By shitting the lower eut end of the Christmas tree Zon the barb 18, said tree maY be set in a true upright position, or if said tree is erooked, the butt end thereof ma): be shifted on said barb to hold said tree upright.

rEhe Christmas tree holder will be supplied in different sizes lfor holding trees of dilierent sizes.

what l claim is:

1. fr Christmas tree holder comprising a bodlv member, supporting attached to the body member for spreading and eontraeting movenients and having tree-gripping prongs arranged to partakeot reverse mo' Yrnts Ytrom that olf said and a Christmas treesupporting head attaohed'to the supporting legs tor .'ertieal movement inr respe thereto and operative to spread said le: u v a downward movement and eonract the same by an upward movement.

l Christmas tree holder comprising a body member, supporting legs attached to the bod)Y member lor spreading and contracting movements and having tree-gripping prongs afranped to partake ot reverse mo-` ements from that ot said legs, a Christ- .:'porting head, and links connetiing said head to the supporting above a dead center tor raising and lowering me 'ements tl e weight ol the Christmas t e on the supporting head tending' to move fd head down and canse the linksto spread the supporting legs and contract their prongs onto said tree.

L). The strut-ture defined in claim 2 in inrther Combination with a positive stop aro to being moved below a dead center.

In test imoirv whe 'eot l ai'iiK my signature.

),event the supporting head from 

